Fan-out package and methods of forming thereof

ABSTRACT

An embodiment is a package including a molding compound laterally encapsulating a chip with a contact pad. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the molding compound and the chip and has a first opening exposing the contact pad. A first metallization layer is formed overlying the first dielectric layer, in which the first metallization layer fills the first opening. A second dielectric layer is formed overlying the first metallization layer and the first dielectric layer and has a second opening over the first opening. A second metallization layer is formed overlying the second dielectric layer and formed in the second opening.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/928,836, filed Jan. 17, 2014, and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Packing Semiconductor Dies,” which application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment, as examples. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and semiconductive layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various material layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon. Dozens or hundreds of integrated circuits are typically manufactured on a single semiconductor wafer. The individual dies are singulated by sawing the integrated circuits along a scribe line. The individual dies are then packaged separately, in multi-chip modules, or in other types of packaging, for example.

The semiconductor industry continues to improve the integration density of various electronic components (e.g., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.) by continual reductions in minimum feature size, which allow more components to be integrated into a given area. These smaller electronic components such as integrated circuit dies may also require smaller packages that utilize less area than packages of the past, in some applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present embodiments, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 through 8 are various cross sectional views of structures during a manufacturing process according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The making and using of the present embodiments are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the disclosed subject matter, and do not limit the scope of the different embodiments.

Embodiments will be described with respect to a specific context, namely a fan-out package structure. Other embodiments may also be applied, however, to other package structures. Figures and discussion below illustrate simplified structures so as to not obscure various features and omit redundant features that would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Like reference numbers in the figures refer to like components. Although method embodiments may be described as being performed in a particular order, other embodiments may be performed in any logical order.

FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate various cross sectional views of structures during a manufacturing process according to an embodiment.

FIG. 1 illustrates two chips 10 adhered to a carrier substrate 200 by an adhesive film 202. In an embodiment, the chips 10 are formed as part of a wafer, and the wafer is then singulated to form individual chips 10. The chips 10 may be, for example, a logic integrated circuit, a memory die, an analog die, or any other die. The chips 10 each includes a substrate 12, a contact pad 14 on the substrate 12 and a passivation layer 16 overlying the substrate 12 and the contact pad 14. The substrate 12 may include a semiconductor substrate, such as a bulk semiconductor substrate, semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, or the like, on which electrical circuitry including active devices, such as transistors, and/or passive devices, such as capacitors, inductors, or the like, are formed according to semiconductor processes. The electrical circuitry formed in the semiconductor substrate may be any type of circuitry suitable for a particular application. For example, the electrical circuitry may include various N-type metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) and/or P-type metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) devices, such as transistors, capacitors, resistors, diodes, photo-diodes, fuses, and the like, interconnected to perform one or more functions. The functions may executed using various structures including memory structures, processing structures, sensors, amplifiers, power distribution, input/output circuitry, or the like. Other circuitry may be used as appropriate for a given application. Dielectric layers and metal lines are formed on the electrical circuitry. The dielectric layers may be formed, for example, of a low dielectric constant (low-K) dielectric material, such as phosphosilicate glass (PSG), borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), fluorinated silicate glass (FSG), SiO_(x)C_(y), Spin-On-Glass, Spin-On-Polymers, silicon carbon material, compounds thereof, composites thereof, combinations thereof, or the like, by any suitable method, such as spinning, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and/or plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD). The metal lines formed of, for example, copper, tungsten, aluminum and/or alloys thereof are formed in the dielectric layers and electrically couple the electrical circuitry together and/or to the contact pad 14.

The contact pad 14 is formed on the uppermost dielectric layer of the substrate 12 to electrically connect to the underlying metallization layers. In some embodiments, the contact pads 14 are formed of aluminum, aluminum copper, aluminum alloys, copper, copper alloys, or the like. The passivation layer 16 is formed over the top surface of the substrate 12 and is patterned to form an opening 16 a exposing at least a portion of the contact pad 14. The passivation layer 16 may be a single layer or a laminated multi-layer structure. In some embodiments, the passivation layer 16 is formed of a dielectric material, such as undoped silicate glass (USG), silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or a non-porous material. In some embodiments, the passivation layer 16 is formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), or any other suitable process.

In an embodiment, the chips 10 are placed on the carrier substrate 200 using, for example, a pick-and-place tool, and the chips 10 are adhered to the carrier substrate 200 by the adhesive film 202, such as any suitable adhesive, such as UV glue (which loses its adhesive property when exposed to UV lights), or film on wire (FOW) materials. The carrier substrate 200 may be a wafer-form substrate or a panel-form substrate. Several dozen chips 10 or several hundred chips 10 or more may be attached to the carrier substrate 200, depending on a size of the chips 10, a size of carrier substrate 200, and the particular application. The chip 10 has a first side 10F (also referred to herein as a front side 10F) and a second side 10B (also referred to herein as a back side 10B). By placing the chips 10 in predetermined locations on the carrier substrate 200, in some embodiments, a back side 10B of the chip 10 is attached to the adhesive film 202, such that the chip 10 is mounted face-up on the carrier substrate 200.

In FIG. 2, a molding compound 18 is formed at least laterally encapsulating the chips 10. By laterally encapsulating, it is meant that the molding compound is formed to surround the chip(s) on all sides, but not extending over the top surface of the chip(s). The molding compound 18 is formed to fill gaps between the chips 10. The molding compound 18 may be formed using compression molding, lamination, or the like. The molding compound 18 may be an epoxy-based complex or the like. The molding compound 18 may be cured using, for example, a constant temperature or a ramped temperature thermal process at a temperature between about 120° C. and about 340° C. The molding compound 18 may initially cover, i.e. extend over to top surface of, chips 10 as formed, and then undergo a grinding process to expose a sacrificial layer (not shown) over the chips 10. The sacrificial layer may be removed using a solvent, chemicals, or the like. In an example, a wet etch selective to the sacrificial layer, such as a dilute KOH solution that is, for example, about 3% to about 5% KOH, is used to remove the sacrificial layer. In some embodiments, the front sides 10F of chips 10 are not covered by the molding compound 18, such that the contact pads 14 and the passivation layers 16 are exposed. In an embodiment, the top surface of the passivation layer 16 is lower than the top surface of the molding compound 18. In some embodiments, the top surface of the passivation layer 16 is substantially level with the top surface of the molding compound 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, a first dielectric layer 30 is formed over the passivation layers 16 and contact pads 14 of the chips 10 and over the molding compound 18. In some embodiments, the first dielectric layer 30 includes a polybenzoxazole (PBO) layer, a polyimide layer, a benzocyclobutene (BCB) layer, an epoxy layer, a photo-sensitive material layer, other suitable polymer materials, or a combination thereof. The first dielectric layer 30 can be deposited by a spin coating process, laminating process, the like, or a combination thereof. Then the first dielectric layer 30 is patterned by photolithography and/or etching processes to form openings 30 a, through which the underlying contact pads 14 are exposed. In at least some embodiments, the opening 30 a is positioned over the opening 16 a of the passivation layer 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the dimension (e.g. diameter) of opening 30 a is less than that of opening 16 a. The dimension of the opening 30 a may be larger than or equal to that of the opening 16 a, in other contemplated embodiments.

In FIG. 4, a first metallization layer 32 is formed on the first dielectric layer 30 as various traces, and the first metallization layer 32 fills the openings 30 a to form a plurality of first via connections 34 directly over a respective contact pad 14. In some embodiments, the first via connection 34 (when viewed from a “top down” view) can be a ring shape, a ring-like shape, a rectangular shape, a square-like shape, a triangular shape, a hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape, or the like. Also, the first via connection 34 may be an enclosed shape, broken or disconnected shape. In an embodiment, the first metallization layer 32 includes a first seed layer 32 a and a first conductive layer 32 b. For example, the first seed layer 32 a is deposited over the first dielectric layer 30, lining the bottom and sidewalls of the openings 30 a of the first dielectric layer 30. The first seed layer 32 a can be copper, titanium, titanium, titanium nitride, titanium nitride, a combination of copper and titanium (Ti/Cu), the like, or a combination thereof deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), sputtering, another physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, or the like. The conductive layer 32 b is formed on the first seed layer 32 a and fills the openings 30 a of the first dielectric layer 30. The first conductive layer 32 b can be copper, copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, tungsten, tungsten alloys, or combinations thereof, formed by a plating process, such as electroless plating, electroplating, or the like. In an embodiment, a copper plating process is performed by modifying additive selection and controlling concentration of copper solution, such that the surface of the first conductive layer 32 b in the opening 30 a forms a flat metal surface 32 s. For example, the copper plating process is performed at a plating rate greater than about 1 μm/min. The first conductive layer 32 b formed in the opening 30 a has a width W and a height H. For example, the height H is less than 10 μm. The height H may be about 3 μm. In an embodiment, the ratio of W/H is greater than about 2. In another embodiment, the ratio of W/H is less than about 20. In still another embodiment, the ratio of W/H is between 2 and 20. Next, photolithography and etching processes are performed to pattern the first conductive layer 32 b and the first seed layer 32 a so as to form the pattern for the first metallization layer 32 that is desired. The first metallization layer 32 is a post-passivation interconnect (PPI) structure which can function as interconnection layers, power lines, re-distribution lines (RDL), inductors, capacitors or any passive components.

In FIG. 5, a second dielectric layer 40 is formed over the first dielectric layer 30 and the first metallization layer 32. In some embodiments, the second dielectric layer 40 includes a polybenzoxazole (PBO) layer, a polyimide layer, a benzocyclobutene (BCB) layer, an epoxy layer, a photo-sensitive material layer, other suitable polymer materials, or a combination thereof. The second dielectric layer 40 can be deposited by a spin coating process, laminating process, the like, or a combination thereof. Then the second dielectric layer 40 is patterned by photolithography and/or etching processes to form openings 40 a, through which portions of the underlying first metallization layer 32 are exposed. In at least some embodiments, the first via connection 34 is exposed by the opening 40 a because the opening 40 a is positioned over the opening 30 a of the first dielectric layer 30. For example, the dimension of the opening 40 a is substantially equal to that of the opening 30 a. The dimension of the opening 40 a may be larger than or less than that of the opening 30 a

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, a second metallization layer 42 is formed on the second dielectric layer 40 as various traces or landing pads, and the second metallization layer 42 is formed in the openings 40 a to form a plurality of second via connections 44 directly over a respective first via connection 34. In some embodiments, the second via connection 44 is a ring shape, a ring-like shape, a rectangular shape, a square-like shape, a triangular shape, a hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape, or the like. Also, the second via connection 44 may be an enclosed shape, broken or disconnected shape. In an embodiment, the second metallization layer 42 includes a second seed layer 42 a and a second conductive layer 42 b. For example, the second seed layer 42 a is deposited over the second dielectric layer 40, lining the bottom and sidewalls of the openings 40 a of the second dielectric layer 40. The second seed layer 42 a can be copper, titanium, titanium, titanium nitride, titanium nitride, a combination of copper and titanium (Ti/Cu), the like, or a combination thereof deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), sputtering, another physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, or the like. The second conductive layer 42 b is formed on the second seed layer 42 a. The second conductive layer 42 b is also formed in the openings 40 a of the second dielectric layer 40. The second conductive layer 42 b may partially fill the opening 40 a (as shown in FIG. 6) or completely fill the opening 40 a (not shown) depending on the opening size and plating process control. The second conductive layer 42 b can be copper, copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, tungsten, tungsten alloys, or combinations thereof, formed by a plating process, such as electroless plating, electroplating, or the like. Next, photolithography and etching processes are performed to pattern the second conductive layer 42 b and the second seed layer 42 a so as to expose the pattern for the second metallization layer 42 that is desired. The second metallization layer 42 includes the second via connection 44 electrically coupled to the first via connection 34. The second metallization layer 42 can function as interconnection layers, power lines, re-distribution lines (RDL), inductors, capacitors or any passive components. While via connection 44 is shown as being vertically aligned with via connection 34, other arrangements, such as via connection 44 being offset from via connection 34, are within the contemplated scope of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 7, bumps 50 are formed on the second metallization layer 42. In an embodiment, the bumps 50 are solder bumps, for example, including lead-free solder, SnAg, or a solder material including alloys of tin, lead, silver, copper, nickel, bismuth, or combinations thereof. The solder bumps may be formed by placing solder balls or plating a solder layer with a reflowing process. In some embodiments, the bump 50 is a copper pillar bump, a metal bump including nickel or gold, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, each of the bumps 50 has a diameter greater than about 200 μm. Then a protection layer 52 is optionally formed over the second metallization layer 42 and the second dielectric layer 40 and around a portion of the bumps 50. For example, the top portions 50 a of the bumps 50 are exposed and extend above the protection layer 52. In an embodiment, the protection layer 52 is a bracing material which is molding compound or the like that provides structural support.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the carrier substrate 200 is detached from the chips 10 and the molding compound 18, and then the resulting structure is sawed into a plurality of individual packages also referred to as fan-out packages. In an embodiment, a tape 204 is provided on the adhesive film 202 covering the back side 10B of the chips 10 and the backside of the molding compound 18. The fan-out package includes one or more than one chips 10 and two metallization layers 32 and 42 over the front side 10F of the chip 10, in which a stacking via structure 54 including the second via connection 44 and the first via connection 34 are positioned over and electrically coupled to the contact pad 14 of the chip 10. As shown, the first via connection 34 is formed in the opening 30 a of the first dielectric layer 30. The first via connection 34 includes the first seed layer 32 a lining the bottom and sidewall of the opening 30 a and the first conductive layer 32 b filling the opening 30 a. The top surface of the first via connection 34 includes a flat metal surface according to an embodiment. The second via connection 44 is formed in the opening 40 a of the second dielectric layer 40. The second via connection 44 includes the second seed layer 42 a lining the bottom and sidewall of the opening 40 a and the second conductive layer 42 b in the opening 40 a. The second via connection 44 is formed over the first via connection 34 such that the second seed layer 42 a is sandwiched between the first conductive layer 32 b and the second conductive layer 42 b. By modifying the plating rate for the first conductive layer 32 b and forming the ratio of W/H of the first conductive layer 32 b, a flat metal surface can be formed on the first via connection 34 and a thickness gap between the molding compound 18 and the first dielectric layer 30 can be minimized, and therefore a photolithographic window for the second dielectric layer 40 is enlarged and a fine-pitch fan-out package is achieved. Additionally, costs may be reduced using some embodiments.

An embodiment is a package including a chip having a substrate and a contact pad on the substrate and a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the molding compound and the chip and has a first opening exposing the contact pad. A first metallization layer is formed overlying the first dielectric layer, in which the first metallization layer fills the first opening. A second dielectric layer is formed overlying the first metallization layer and the first dielectric layer and has a second opening over the first opening. A second metallization layer is formed overlying the second dielectric layer and formed in the second opening.

Another embodiment is package including a chip having a substrate and a contact pad on the substrate, and a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the molding compound and the chip and has a first opening exposing the contact pad. A first seed layer is formed overlying the first dielectric layer and lines a sidewall and a bottom of the first opening. A first conductive layer is formed overlying the first seed layer and fills the first opening. A second dielectric layer is formed overlying the first conductive layer and has a second opening directly over the first opening. A second seed layer is formed overlying the second dielectric layer and lines a sidewall and a bottom of the second opening. A second conductive layer is formed overlying the second seed layer.

A further embodiment is a method including: providing a chip with a contact pad; forming a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip, the contact pad being exposed through the molding compound; forming a first dielectric layer over the molding compound and the chip; forming a first opening in the first dielectric layer exposing the contact pad; forming a first conductive layer overlying the first dielectric layer and filling the first opening, wherein the first conductive layer in the first opening has a flat surface; forming a second dielectric layer over the first conductive layer and the first dielectric layer; forming a second opening in the second dielectric layer exposing the first conductive layer over the first opening; and forming a second conductive layer overlying the second dielectric layer and physically contacting the first conductive layer through the second opening.

Although the present embodiments and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A package comprising: a chip comprising a substrate and a contact pad on the substrate; a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip, wherein none of the molding compound is vertically aligned with the chip; a first dielectric layer overlying the molding compound and the chip and having a first opening exposing the contact pad; a first metallization layer overlying the first dielectric layer, wherein the first metallization layer fills the first opening and laterally extends over the molding compound, the first metallization layer having a flat top over the first opening, the flat top further from the substrate than a top surface of the first dielectric layer, the lateral extensions of the first metallization layer having a top surface further from the substrate than the flat top; a second dielectric layer overlying the first metallization layer and the first dielectric layer and having a second opening over the first opening; and a second metallization layer overlying the second dielectric layer and electrically coupled to the first metallization layer through the second opening and laterally extends over the molding compound.
 2. The package of claim 1, wherein the second metallization layer is formed in the second opening and physically contacts the first metallization layer.
 3. The package of claim 1, wherein the second metallization layer lines a sidewall and a bottom of the second opening.
 4. The package of claim 1, wherein the first metallization layer comprises a first seed layer and a first conductive layer formed on the first seed layer.
 5. The package of claim 4, wherein the first seed layer comprises titanium and the first conductive layer comprises copper.
 6. The package of claim 1, wherein the second metallization layer comprises a second seed layer and a second conductive layer formed on the second seed layer.
 7. The package of claim 6, wherein the second seed layer comprises titanium and the second conductive layer comprises copper.
 8. The package of claim 1, further comprising a bump on the second metallization layer.
 9. The package of claim 8, further comprising a protection layer overlying the second metallization layer and the second dielectric layer and around a portion of the bump.
 10. The package of claim 1, wherein the chip comprises a passivation layer on the substrate and covering a portion of the contact pad, and the first dielectric layer is formed overlying the passivation layer.
 11. A package comprising: a chip comprising a substrate and a contact pad on the substrate, the contact pad covered by a chip passivation layer having a contact opening formed therein to expose a top surface of the contact pad; a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip, wherein a top surface of the molding compound is vertically further from the contact pad than a top surface of the chip passivation layer; a first dielectric layer overlying the molding compound and the chip and having a first opening exposing the top surface of the contact pad; a first seed layer overlying the first dielectric layer and lining a sidewall and a bottom of the first opening; a first conductive layer overlying the first seed layer and completely filling the first opening, the first conductive layer having a top surface over the first opening which is further from the substrate than a top surface of the first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer overlying the first conductive layer and having a second opening directly over the first opening; and a second seed layer overlying the second dielectric layer and lining a sidewall and a bottom of the second opening; and a second conductive layer overlying the second seed layer, the second conductive layer partially filling the second opening.
 12. The package of claim 11, wherein the second conductive layer is formed along the sidewall and the bottom of the second opening.
 13. The package of claim 11, wherein the first seed layer comprises titanium and the first conductive layer comprises copper.
 14. The package of claim 11, wherein the second seed layer comprises titanium and the second conductive layer comprises copper.
 15. The package of claim 11, further comprising a bump on the second conductive layer.
 16. The package of claim 15, further comprising a protection layer overlying the second conductive layer and the second dielectric layer and around a portion of the bump.
 17. A package comprising: a chip with a contact pad; a molding compound laterally encapsulating the chip, the chip being exposed through the molding compound; a passivation layer overlying the contact pad, the chip being exposed through a contact opening in the passivation layer, the passivation layer having sidewalls which interface with the molding compound; a first dielectric layer overlying the molding compound and the chip; a first opening in the first dielectric layer, the first opening exposing the contact pad; a first conductive layer overlying the first dielectric layer and completely filling the first opening, wherein the first conductive layer in the first opening has a flat surface, the flat surface being vertically further from the chip than a top surface of the first dielectric layer, the first conductive layer extending over the first dielectric layer, a portion of the first conductive layer which extends over the first dielectric layer having a thickness based on the vertical difference between the flat surface and the top surface of the first dielectric layer, wherein the first conductive layer filling the opening has a width (W) and a height (H), and the ratio of W/H is greater than 2; a second dielectric layer overlying the first conductive layer and the first dielectric layer; a second opening in the second dielectric layer, the second opening exposing the first conductive layer over the first opening; and a second conductive layer overlying the second dielectric layer and physically contacting the first conductive layer through the second opening.
 18. The package of claim 17, wherein the first conductive layer lines a sidewall and a bottom of the first opening.
 19. The package of claim 17, wherein the ratio of W/H is less than
 20. 20. The package of claim 17, further comprising a seed layer under the first conductive layer. 